Paintbrush draining container

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a container for draining a liquid from a wet, tapered paintbrush so that the bristles do not deleteriously flair upon drying. The single-piece container includes a draining sleeve section and a catch pan section. The draining sleeve has an open upper sleeve end and an open or partially-open lower sleeve end. The panels of the draining sleeve form a wedge-shaped drainage channel therebetween, corresponding to the tapered shape of the bristle end of the paintbrush.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication Serial No. 60/395,223 filed Jul. 11, 2002.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention is in the field of painting devices andsupplies. More particularly, the present invention is a container usefulfor draining paint or a paint solvent from a wet, tapered paintbrush.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Painters strive to maintain their paintbrushes so that thebristle end of a brush remains in its original shape as long aspossible. Brush bristle maintenance is especially important for taperedpaintbrushes intended for use in painting trim and intricate designs.One common problem is that brush bristles tend to deleteriously flairwhen a brush that is wet with paint or pain solvent is allowed to dry.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatususeful for maintaining the original shape of the bristle end of atapered paintbrush. It is a further object of the present invention forsuch apparatus to be convenient to use while painting, particularly forpainting substrates requiring painter mobility, such as walls and walltrim. It is a still further object of the present invention to providean apparatus that is useful for maintaining the shape of a variety ofsizes and shapes of tapered paintbrushes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of thepresent paintbrush draining container wherein the catch pan also servesas a paint roller pan.

[0006]FIG. 2 is a detail perspective view of the preferred container ofthe present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention is a container for draining a liquid from awet, tapered paintbrush. The container includes a draining sleeve and acatch pan. The draining sleeve 20 has an open upper sleeve end 36 and anopen or partially-open lower sleeve end 32, a front panel 30, a rearpanel 28, and a pair of opposite side panels 24. The rear panel and thepair of opposite side panels extend downwardly from the open lowersleeve end 32 to a catch pan 22. The catch pan that defines an openreservoir 34 adapted for collecting the drained liquid. The panels ofthe draining sleeve form a wedge-shaped drainage channel 38therebetween. The wedge-shaped channel has a size suitable for receivingthe bristle end of the tapered paintbrush and holding the bristles acompact, tapered manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] The present invention is a container for draining a liquid, suchas paint or a paint solvent, from a wet, tapered paintbrush. Thecontainer includes a first section for holding and draining thepaintbrush, referred to herein as the draining sleeve. The containerfurther includes a second section for collecting the liquid, referred toherein as the catch pan.

[0009] Referring to FIG.'S 1-2, the draining sleeve 20 of the containerhas an open upper sleeve end 36 and an open or partially-open lowersleeve end 32, a front panel 30, a rear panel 28, and a pair of oppositeside panels 24. The rear panel and the pair of opposite side panelsextend downwardly from the lower sleeve end 32 to the catch pan 22. Thecatch pan defines an open reservoir 34 adapted for collecting thedrained liquid.

[0010] It is an important aspect of the present invention that the frontand rear panels of the draining sleeve are aligned with each other in asufficiently downwardly converging direction to form a wedge-shapeddrainage channel 38 between the panels. The angle of convergence of thedraining sleeve is suitable to define a channel therein that is wideenough at the upper sleeve end to receive the bristle end of the taperedpaintbrush, yet narrow enough at the lower sleeve end to secure thebristles in a compact, tapered manner so as to prevent flaring as thebristles become dry. The angle formed by the direction of the frontpanel and the rear panel preferably converges at a point no lower thanthe bottom of the catch pan reservoir.

[0011] The lower sleeve end 32 may be either completely open orpartially open. FIG.'S 1-2 show a partially open lower sleeve endprovided by a front panel 30 having two orifices 40 in the lower portionthereof. The wedge-shaped cavity 38 may have a single drainage orifice40 or a plurality of orifices, as long as it is sufficiently open toallow for drainage.

[0012] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the catchpan of the draining container is adapted for use as a paint roller pan,as shown in the Figures. Thus, the draining container can be used fordraining a tapered paint brush at the same time that it is being used asa rolling pan. The drainage container of the present invention can beusable in an upright position as a stand-alone container. Alternatively,the container can be equipped with a means for hanging the containerfrom an object such as a ladder, window sill, or from a painter's body,as shown in FIG. 1. Suitable means for hanging include a hook 26 asshown in FIG. 2, a strap 42 as shown in FIG. 1, and traditional affixingmechanisms. The container can also be a modified paint roller pan forlateral use, as shown in FIG. 2. Various additional applications of theinvention should become evident to one of ordinary skill in the art fromthe Figures.

[0013] The draining container of the present invention can be formedfrom any nonporous material. Particularly suitable materials includeplastics and lightweight metals such as aluminum. Methods of manufactureinclude traditional methods such as injection molding, thermoforming,and stamping.

[0014] The invention has been described in detail with particularreference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understoodthat variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit andscope of the invention.

I claim:
 1. A container for draining a liquid from a wet, taperedpaintbrush a having a handle end and a bristle end, said containercomprising: a draining sleeve and a catch pan, said draining sleevehaving an open upper sleeve end and an open lower sleeve end, a frontpanel, a rear panel, and a pair of opposite side panels, said rear paneland said pair of opposite side panels extending downwardly from saidopen lower sleeve end to said catch pan, said catch pan defining an openreservoir adapted for collecting the drained liquid, wherein said frontpanel and said rear panel downwardly extend from said open upper sleeveend to said open lower sleeve end in converging directions forming anangle intersecting below said draining sleeve and thereby defining awedge-shaped drainage channel therebetween that is adapted for receivingthe bristle end of the tapered paintbrush.
 2. The container according toclaim 1 wherein said drainage channel has a lower end sufficiently smallto secure the bristle end of the paintbrush in a compact manner.
 3. Thecontainer according to claim 1 wherein the angle formed by the directionof said front panel and said lower panel converges at a position nolower than said reservoir.
 4. The container according to claim 1 whereinsaid reservoir is adapted to receive a point roller therein.
 5. Thecontainer according to claim 4 wherein said container is a modifiedpaint roller pan.
 6. The container according to claim 1 furthercomprising a means for hanging said container from an object in aupright position.
 7. A container for draining a liquid from a wet,tapered paintbrush having a handle end and a bristle end, said containercomprising: a draining sleeve having a front panel, a rear panel, and apair of opposite side panels extending from an open upper sleeve end toa lower sleeve end, said front panel defining a an orifice at said lowersleeve end suitable for providing drainage of the liquid, said rearpanel and said pair of opposite side panels extending downwardly fromsaid lower sleeve end to a catch pan defining an open reservoir adaptedfor collecting the drained liquid, wherein said front panel and saidrear panel downwardly extend from said upper sleeve end to said lowersleeve end in converging directions forming an angle intersecting belowsaid draining sleeve and defining a wedge-shaped drainage channeltherebetween that is adapted for receiving the bristle end of thetapered paintbrush.
 8. The container according to claim 7 wherein saiddrainage channel has a lower end sufficiently small to secure thebristle end of the paintbrush in a compact manner.
 9. The containeraccording to claim 7 wherein said front panel defines a plurality oforifices at said lower sleeve end.
 10. The container according to claim7 wherein said reservoir is adapted to receive a point roller therein.11. The container according to claim 10 wherein said container is amodified paint roller pan.